Two-week system flush to blame for funky tasting water in Collier

Collier County's tap water has been named the best tasting in Florida.

Lauren Gasperson noticed something odd a few days ago: her tap water tasted ... different.

The Brita filter she uses to help clean her water didn't seem to make much of a difference. The water, she said, just tasted "stronger."

"I thought maybe it was just me," said Gasperson, 23, who had a baby girl a few weeks back and wondered if she was more sensitive because of it.

Gasperson is not alone. Collier County utilities customers may have noticed something, well, funky about their water this week.

The Collier water department is in the middle of an annual free chlorine flush of the county's water distribution system. As part of the process, which started on Friday, Feb. 7 and ends on Friday, Feb. 21, the county is disinfecting water with free chlorine, which is a stronger disinfectant than its usual chlorine/ammonia combination.

Despite the slight change to the taste and odor of the water, there is nothing wrong with it, said Steve Messner, director of the Collier County Water Department.

"It's not bad," he said. "People become accustomed to a certain odor or taste. When you go to a free residual, they may complain of a chlorine taste or they may detect a slight odor of chlorine when they first turn on the taps."

Customers may also notice cloudy or discolored water when they first turn it on. While the water is safe to drink, the water department suggests people let the faucet run for a few minutes to flush it out. There is slight chance the water could stain clothes in the laundry.

During the temporary change in disinfectants, the water department is conducting a flush of the distribution system to allow the free chlorine to move quickly through the system. They're working from 7 a.m. to midnight every day flushing fire hydrants, according to the county.

Customers on dialysis who use a proportioning machine to prepare dialysate are advised to contact their physician to take the appropriate steps to accommodate the change in disinfectants, according to the county. Customers with fish tanks should contact a professional aquarist to avoid problems associated with the chlorine.

Messner said they've had some complaints about the water. They get them every year. In some cases, he said, they've delivered bottles of water to customers who just can't drink from the tap right now.

"We really try to provide the best customer service that we can," Messner said.